Soccer fans will see a summer World Cup next year, but not as they know it.
A brand-new soccer World Cup is landing next year. As the world itself tries to get a handle on it.
As well as the excitement preceding such events, about which teams and players are primed to perform best, the FIFA Club World Cup 2025—expanded to 32 sides and taking place in the United States from June 15 to July 13—is stirring intrigue, annoyance, and confusion, depending on who you ask.
So, after the draw pits together qualifiers from the six confederations into eight groups of four this December, what can spectators really expect from the reimagined tournament?
First, the Club World Cup will test the United States’ hosting capabilities before the traditional World Cup comes to town a year later, with the U.S., Canada, and Mexico being the three locations for that competition. Indeed, there are five stadiums involved in both events: MetLife Stadium (New Jersey), Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta), Lumen Field (Seattle), Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia), and Hard Rock Stadium (Miami).
Beyond the logistics around ticketing, transportation, and having cities swelling with supporters, there will be another hurdle to negotiate—the heat. Even with air-conditioning, athletes could suffer as the height of U.S. summer approaches. So, don’t get set for jet-paced matches. And anticipate the fitter and better-acclimatized squads to have an advantage following a long domestic season.
Miami will be one of the host cities next summer.
As for supporters, it’s improbable there will be the same number of traveling fans as the World Cup in 2026. However, while the Club World Cup has not been the ultimate prize for European soccer royalty (reigning victorious since 2012) like Real Madrid, it will mean a lot to clubs from other regions. Not least the crop from South America, whose tribal fans will bring the noise in a rare opportunity to test themselves against the favorites.
It will also show how strong—or off the pace—soccer icons playing outside Europe are. Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal boasts Neymar, recovering from a long-term injury and turning 33 next February, and a bright performance will raise hopes of a last dance with Brazil’s seleção. Meanwhile, Lionel Messi could represent Inter Miami, the MLS king on course to fill one of the final two entries available, with the veteran not yet calling time on his career with Argentina. Cristiano Ronaldo hasn’t made it, mind: Al-Nassr’s results in the last AFC Champions League fell short of inclusion.
Now for the real point of contention. Selected professionals are used to playing summer soccer once every two years—a World Cup, European Championship, or Copa América, for example. But for some elite-level players, the Club World Cup will soon mean spending three out of four postseasons on the grass.
Amid a busy calendar, there is already friction between the player side and organizations over how many matches there are. A regularly chosen band of players risks injury without enough rest, and tired bodies can lead to a dip in standard. In the other corner, FIFA wants to squeeze as much action and quality as possible, partly to maximize income from broadcasters, sponsorship, and gate receipts. It has the right to do that, just like any organization, although you wonder which tournaments then become clubs’ priority with so many fixtures.
Coaches will have to manage their players even more carefully than usual.
What are the theoretical solutions for inconvenienced clubs, perhaps those in Europe? The first is simply growing squads with more A-grade players. Open to this idea, FIFA is introducing a new mini-transfer window before the event, meaning sides can draft in fresh names and better rotate their squads. For everyone, the caveat here is successful teams stem from a tight group of stars, and more faces entering in a short period unsettles this dynamic.
An alternative is using the Club World Cup to blood academy players, sending a message to FIFA that it’s not a top priority. Aware of this, FIFA insists prime picks travel and are available to play. Head coaches still decide the lineups, though, and they may promote youngsters if viable.
Of course, if there is no room for maneuver here, teams will hope running a few stars into the ground is worth it, with glory and attractive prize money—reportedly up to €100 million ($109 million) on offer. Or, in a radical outcome, there is a coordinated boycott. In July, there were reports that player representative group FIFPRO was driving legal action against FIFA regarding fixture congestion resulting from the expanded format.
Is the state of play beneficial to FIFA? As mentioned, better players equals a better product and more revenue—a big incentive. On the other hand, fancied winners selecting weaker lineups might give underdogs a route to success. People from different continents may not watch Ulsan Hyundai (South Korea) or Espérance de Tunis (Tunisia). So overachieving can grow their reach, which is good PR for FIFA as the world game’s governing body.
Ahead of the show, Gordon Watson, the general manager of participating Auckland City (New Zealand), told me, “While we’re excited about the opportunity, we’re also aware of the significant gap between our region and the rest of the world. We aim to represent Oceania with quality both on and off the pitch as we prepare for this truly global event.”
Almost three-quarters of the stars at the World Cup 2022 in Qatar arrived from European teams. And you only need to glance at this year’s Ballon d’Or shortlist, where every candidate plays for a club on that same patch, to know the premium talent lies there. Yet, despite the heavy European presence at the Club World Cup, less familiar faces from less marketable leagues will enjoy greater exposure. Their clubs will also become wealthier, albeit creating a financial disparity in their domestic divisions unless there’s intervention.
Easily the strongest team in South Africa, Mamelodi Sundowns will be its nation’s representative.
In scouting, awareness of players, wherever they may be, is stronger than ever. Clubs keep tabs on prospective signings in obscure places because unearthing hidden gems can improve fortunes on the field while saving money. The difference here—assuming plenty tune into the tournament—is some names will no longer be outside the public eye. Moreover, the Europeans will see how budding players from lower-quality divisions fare against the best, informing their moves in the transfer market.
On the future of this revamped Club World Cup independently, FIFA—still looking for broadcasters and partners—can’t be sure of a roaring success. With more games, the body values quantity, but one way regular World Cups drive attention is by rarity, with them happening once every 48 months.
“By introducing new competitions all the time, FIFA and UEFA are making top-level football (soccer) competitions less scarce and are thus watering down the value of all their other competitions,” sponsorship expert Andreas Kitzing tells me. “They have to be careful not to take it too far because, at some point, the market for live matches will become oversaturated, and fans will start to lose interest.”
Should it not reach the hype of other spectacles, it’s still a net gain for FIFA, extending its influence and profiting in the club game. At its best, it’s the glorious show we didn’t think we needed. At its worst, it could transform into a glorified preseason tournament for uninterested teams. What’s clear is the latest incarnation will be a discovery. Which, if nothing else, is worth something.
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